Flexible-ladder support



1,395,563. Patented Nov.

s. T. onoznzYNskl. FLEXIBLE LADDER SUPPORT.

APPUCATION FILED SEPT. I0; |918.

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MINIMUM [IUUHHU {flllflllll s.T.DR0znZYNsKI. FLEXIBLE LADDER SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I0. i918.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

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n ou Z (EES UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

FLEXIBLE-LADDER SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application led September 10, 1918. Serial No. 253,358.

To all rwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STANisLAUs THOMAS DRoZDzYNsKi, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Toledo, county o'Lucas, and State of Ohio, have inventedV certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible-Ladder Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in supports for flexible ladders and particularly to types adapted to be used as fire escapes.

The principal obj ect of the invention is to provide a device upon which a flexible wire ladder may be rolled or unrolled, the device being detachably engaged on the inner side of a window or like opening in the walls of a building, in such manner that the ladder may extend downwardly to the ground.

still further object is to provide means which may be quickly and securely attached to the window frame without special arrangement or its support.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view showin a fragmentary portion of a building and indicating the application of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the device in a partially unrolled condition, and

Fig. 4f is a fragmentary sectional view taken through one of the attaching means.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 represents the wall of a building containing a window frame 11 in which are slidably engaged the sashes 12, both shown to be in a raised position so as to leave aclear opening 14 through the wall.

The ladder as shown consists of a pair of parallel spaced flexible supports or side elements 15 having engaged between them at uniformly spaced intervals rungs 16, the ladder normally being coiled upon a drum 18, provided with raised annular flanges 19 at its ends and passing through the drum is a spindle 20, provided with an extending operating crank handle 21 by which the drum may be rotated.

Secured on the extending ends of the spindle 20 are a pair of flat extending bars 23, these bars being adapted to extend outwardly through the opening 14, and having formed with their lower ends, sharply pointed spur like projections 24, adapted to engage with the exterior of the wall of the building, preventing the bars from lateral movement and also materially assisting in supporting the device.

Journaled in the extreme lower ends of the bars 23 is a spindle 25, having upon it a roller 26 over which the ladder 15 operates as it is rolled or unrolled from the drum 18.

Integrally formed with the upper end of the bars 23 are projections 28 extending angular'ly upward toward the front and pivoted 1n their outer end, on the pins 29, are double dogs 30, their points being operatively engaged with the teeth of escapement wheels 31, rigidly engaged upon the spindle 20, closely adjacent to the flanges 19, so that as the ladder is unrolled and the drum caused to rotate, the double dogs are operated to engage each with one of its teeth, as the case may be, the teeth of its escapement Wheel, so that each tooth acts as an impediment tending to reduce the speed of the rotary movement of the drum in one direction so as to avoid too rapid descent of the ladder and consequent danger.

In order to attach the device in the Window opening, there are secured to the outer side of the bars 23 opposed pairs of extending tubular supports 33, containing resilient compression springs 34, one end of which abuts against the outer side of the bars 23, and the other against a disk like collar 35, fixed midway in the length of a rod 36 and slidably mounted in the end of the cylindrical projection 33, the rod also passing through the bars 23 so as to be held relatively rigid.

Secured to the outer ends of the rods 33 are heads 37, the same being used as knobs in pressing the rods 36 inwardly, against the springs 34, it being understood that when the knobs are pressed inwardly, the entire apparatus may be moved through the opening 14 in the wall, whereupon the springs will press the knobs and rods outwardly to such a length as to cause them to engage with the inner surface of the wall' or the window frame in an obvious manner, thus holding the device against movement as is clearly indicated in Fig. 2. Pendulum weights 38 are secured to the lower ends of rods 39, the upper ends of which are branched to form substantially triangular shaped elements 40 attached to the upper edges of the pallets 30 at both sides of the pivot points 29 of' theA saine.

Having thus described my invention and indicated in the manner of its construction and use, what I claim as new and' desire to,

secure by Letters Patent, is- In a leXible ladder support, the combinaition of a spindle provided. With an operzit#` ing handle, a pairY of flat bars supporting ing a spindle j ournaled in the eXtremeloWerVY ends of said bars, seid spindles adapted toy guide and receive the flexible ladder, rods lterally secured' infsaid-bairs, tubular supports for said rods on the oilter sides of said loflrs,V resilient springs in said supports abutting With one end against the outer sides of seidY bars and With theotherragainst collars on saidrods, WithinV said tubular supports, and operating heads on` the outer ends of said rods for permitting an, attachment of the,y ladder support.y ina window. opening, substantially as described.

In testimony whereQI have axed my' sgnaitinie..V Y

l STANISIAUS THOMAS'DROZDZYNSKIZ 

